Guru Purnima

In India, people have great respect for Gurus and the word Guru itself holds great importance and meaning. Guru in India means a worshipped personality whose teachings enlighten us in the journey of life. Guru Purnima is a festival celebrated by Hindus and Buddhists, and on this day, people worship and pay respect to their Guru. The relevance of this day lies on the fact that Guru holds the most important position in one’s life, and to give respect to him, people celebrate Guru Purnima.

Guru Purnima is celebrated on the day of full moon in the month of Ashadh during June–July according to the Hindu calendar. Buddhists celebrate this day in the honor of Lord Buddha who gave His first preaching on this day at Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh. The Hindus celebrate this day in the sacred memory of the great ancient sage Vyasa who is believed to be the original guru of the Hindu religion. This day is celebrated to thank him for what he has given to mankind in the form of the four Vedas, 18 Puranas, the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata. Guru Purnima is also known as “Vyasa Purnima” and devotees celebrate this day by worshipping their respected Gurus.

Traditions

Guru Purnima is celebrated by conducting programs and cultural performances by spiritual organizations, divine discussions and ‘Bhajan Samarohas’ are also part of the celebration. Devotees offer flowers and sweets to their spiritual gurus. Guru Purnima is a perfect time to begin spiritual lessons from a guru. Farmers give great importance to this day because the period 'Chaturmas,' i.e. 4 months, begins from this day. It is a belief that water that is stored as clouds from this day will fall as rain on their crops and plantations.

Tourist Essential

Hindus from all over the country celebrate this day. In India, Guru Purnima is celebrated at various ashrams. Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh celebrates this day in a magnificent manner, and people from both India and abroad gather to witness this celebration. The same is also celebrated at Satya Sai Baba’s Ashram at Puttaparthy and the Ashram in Amritapuri, which are few other places which people can visit on the day of Guru Purnima to enjoy the celebrations.